Deep disparities spoil uptick in on-time completion rates
Natalie Schwartz
December 13, 2022
Dive Brief:
~ On-time completion rates for college students ticked up across most U.S. states from 2016 to 2021, according to a new report from Complete College America, a nonprofit aiming to improve postsecondary attainment.
~Improvements varied considerably. On-time completion rates for four-year college students in Hawaii rose from 18% to 30% over the period. Meanwhile, rates for four-year college students in Virginia grew by a smaller amount, rising from 52% to 57%.
~ The report also unearthed widespread disparities between student groups. Part-time students at both four-year and community colleges are much less likely to graduate within six years than full-time students, signaling a need for colleges to better support this group, according to Complete College America.
